Almost 15mn tourist 'presences' at Ferragosto

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 14 - There will be almost 15 million tourist 'presences' in Italian hotels, pensions and B&Bs over the Ferragosto long weekend from August 15 to 18, Assoturismo said Wednesday.
    Some 56% of the stays will be by Italian tourists, said the tourism group.
    Beds are 91% sold out, Assoturismo said.
    Another hospitality group, CNA, said the turnover from the long weekend would be almost four billion euros despite sweltering temperatures in Italy's long heatwave.
    It is red traffic alert in Italy for Thursday, when many Italians will be travelling by road on the traditional mid-August holiday of the Catholic Feast of the Assumption of Mary.
    Many Adriatic beaches are being shunned because of green scum called mucilage infesting the seawater so many day trippers will head for picnics in the hills. (ANSA).